Rotary clip for duplex polarity change

ABSTRACT

A paired simplex fiber optic connector assembly comprises a clip that holds two simplex LC connectors together to yield a duplex connector that can be plugged into a duplex adapter. In some embodiments, the two simplex connectors are held in place by rails formed on both sides of the clip. In other embodiments, a side arm is formed on each side of the clip, the side arm comprising a hub that extends from the clip and a non-circular flange formed on the end of the hub. The flange is configured to engage with channels formed on the sides of the simplex connectors, thereby holding the simplex connectors in place. The simplex connectors are attached to the clip by rotating the connectors about the flange, thereby engaging the channels with the flanges.

RELATED APPLICATION

The subject patent application is a divisional of, and claims priorityto, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/284,082, filed Feb. 25, 2019,and entitled “ROTARY CLIP FOR DUPLEX POLARITY CHANGE,” the entirety ofwhich application is hereby incorporated by reference herein.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The disclosed subject matter relates generally to data cabling, and, inparticular, to fiber optic connectors.

BACKGROUND

Many fiber optic systems employ LC fiber optic connectors fortermination and connectivity of fiber optic cables. The small formfactor of these LC connectors allows a large number of fiber opticcables to be connected in high density arrays, such as those found infiber optic patch panels used in data centers. Duplexed LC connectorshouse two optical fibers, each of which is terminated on a respectiveferrule that protrude from the front of the duplexed connectors, therebyproviding termination and connectivity for a transmit fiber and areceive fiber.

The small form factor of the LC connector—whether used as a singleconnector (“simplex”) or as a duplexed pair—affords a number ofadvantages, particularly in high density environments. There are,however, a number of functional and perceptual issues inherent inconventional LC connector designs.

For example, when used in congested environments such as fiber opticpatch panels, the small spacing between adjacent LC connectors makes itdifficult to both insert the LC connector into, and disconnect theconnector from, its corresponding port in an adapter or module disposedin a patch panel.

Also, reversing the polarity of patch cables pre-terminated to duplexedLC connectors in the field can be a cumbersome task, requiring theduplexed LC connector assembly to be disassembled and the terminatedferrules within the assembly to be physically swapped beforereassembling the assembly. In addition to requiring mechanicaldisassembly and reassembly of the duplexed LC connector assembly,polarity reversal of duplexed LC connectors creates a risk of tanglingor twisting the optical fibers when the ferrules are swapped,potentially damaging the fibers. Moreover, the small form factor,coupled with the relatively large number of interconnected componentsthat often make up these duplexed LC connectors, gives rise to aperception that these connectors lack sufficient rigidity and durabilityto withstand repeated connection to, and disconnection from, patchpanels or other devices.

The above-described deficiencies of current LC connectors are merelyintended to provide an overview of some of the problems of currenttechnology and are not intended to be exhaustive. Other problems withthe state of the art, and corresponding benefits of some of the variousnon-limiting embodiments described herein, may become further apparentupon review of the following detailed description.

SUMMARY

The following presents a simplified summary of the disclosed subjectmatter in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of thevarious embodiments. This summary is not an extensive overview of thevarious embodiments. It is intended neither to identify key or criticalelements of the various embodiments nor to delineate the scope of thevarious embodiments. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of thedisclosure in a streamlined form as a prelude to the more detaileddescription that is presented later.

Various embodiments described herein relate to improved paired simplexfiber optic connector designs that provide a number of advantages overconventional LC connector designs. Embodiments of the paired simplexconnector described herein incorporate features that facilitate easyaccess to selected fiber cable connectors within high densityenvironments, while maintaining a form factor having a low profileconducive to such high density applications. The connector assembliesdescribed herein employ a relatively small number of component parts,yielding a rigid and reliable construction while lowering manufacturingcosts relative to connector designs requiring a larger number ofcomponents. The simplex connectors used in the paired simplex assemblyincorporate structural features that facilitate fast and easy polarityreversal with little or no risk of twisting or damaging optical fibersin the process. A long-tail puller component can also be added to theconnector assembly to provide ready access to the connector withincongested installations. The connector maintains a low profile thatreduces the risk of catching on adjacent cables or enclosure edges whenpulled through congested fiber paths.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the disclosedsubject matter, then, comprises one or more of the features hereinaftermore fully described. The following description and the annexed drawingsset forth in detail certain illustrative aspects of the subject matter.However, these aspects are indicative of but a few of the various waysin which the principles of the subject matter can be employed. Otheraspects, advantages, and novel features of the disclosed subject matterwill become apparent from the following detailed description whenconsidered in conjunction with the drawings. It will also be appreciatedthat the detailed description may include additional or alternativeembodiments beyond those described in this summary.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the components of an examplepaired simplex fiber optic connector.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an example rear body.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an example front body.

FIG. 4a is a side view and a front view of an example front body havinga substantially square profile.

FIG. 4b is a side view and a front view of an example front body havinga chamfered front face.

FIG. 4c is a set of side, front, and perspective views of an examplefront body having chamfered or rounded corners on its front face.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an example duplex clip.

FIG. 6 is a rear view of two rear bodies being held together by a duplexclip.

FIG. 7a is a top view of an assembled pair of simplex LC connectors,comprising a duplex clip, rear bodies held together by the duplex clip,and front bodies mounted to barrel projections of the rear bodies.

FIG. 7b is another top view of the paired simplex LC connector assemblyincluding a puller.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a puller for use with a paired simplexLC connector assembly.

FIG. 9a is perspective rear view of the paired simplex connectorassembly with the puller omitted.

FIG. 9b is a perspective rear view of the paired simplex LC connectorassembly with a puller attached.

FIG. 10 is a front view of the paired simplex LC connector assemblyincluding a puller, with the front bodies removed for clarity.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the paired simplex LC connectorassembly including the puller.

FIG. 12 is a side view of the paired simplex LC connector assemblyincluding the puller.

FIGS. 13a-13f are orthographic views of a paired simplex connector witha duplex clip and puller illustrating a sequence for reversing thepolarity of the connector.

FIG. 14a is a front view of an example clip that supports rotationalmounting of the front bodies to yield a paired simplex LC connectorassembly.

FIG. 14b is a side view of the example clip that supports rotationalmounting of the front bodies to yield a paired simplex LC connectorassembly.

FIG. 14c is a bottom view of the example clip that supports rotationalmounting of the front bodies to yield a paired simplex LC connectorassembly.

FIG. 14d is a perspective view of the example clip that supportsrotational mounting of the front bodies to yield a paired simplex LCconnector assembly.

FIG. 15a is a perspective view of an example rear body designed toengage with the clip illustrated in FIGS. 14a -14 d.

FIG. 15b a side view of the example rear body designed to engage withthe clip illustrated in FIGS. 14a -14 d.

FIG. 15c is a top view of the example rear body designed to engage withthe clip illustrated in FIGS. 14a -14 d.

FIG. 16a is a side view of an example puller.

FIG. 16b is a bottom view of the example puller.

FIG. 16c is a perspective view of the example puller.

FIGS. 17a-17i are perspective views illustrating a sequence forassembling two simplex connectors, a clip, and a puller to yield apaired simplex connector.

FIGS. 18a-18c are perspective views illustrating a sequence for engaginga simple connector to a clip using a rotational action.

FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view depicting engagement of a simplexconnector with a clip.

FIG. 20 is a perspective view of a paired simplex connector assembly.

FIG. 21 is a top view of the paired simplex connector assembly.

FIG. 22 is a side view of an example high density patching installationcomprising a number of stacked adapters.

FIG. 23 is a flowchart of an example methodology for assembling a pairedsimplex fiber optic connector.

FIG. 24a is a flowchart of a first part of an example methodology forassembling a paired simplex fiber optic connector having features thatfacilitate polarity reversal without the need to open the connectorhousings.

FIG. 24b is a flowchart of a second part of the example methodology forassembling a paired simplex fiber optic connector having features thatfacilitate polarity reversal without the need to open the connectorhousings.

FIG. 24c is a flowchart of a third part of the example methodology forassembling a paired simplex fiber optic connector having features thatfacilitate polarity reversal without the need to open the connectorhousings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The subject disclosure is now described with reference to the drawingswherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elementsthroughout. In the following description, for purposes of explanation,numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thoroughunderstanding of the subject disclosure. It may be evident, however,that the subject disclosure may be practiced without these specificdetails. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shownin block diagram form in order to facilitate describing the subjectdisclosure.

The example fiber optic connector assemblies described herein comprisepaired simplex connectors, whereby single LC connectors (also referredto as simplex connectors) are duplexed by means of a clip or attachmentmechanism, with each LC connector terminated to a simplex fiber opticcable—each carrying a single optical fiber—to form an LC connectorassembly. FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the components of anexample paired simplex fiber optic connector according to one or moreembodiments of this disclosure. The components of the paired simplex LCconnector assembly are separated in FIG. 1 to provide a view of theindividual components and their relationships to one another.

The paired simplex connector assembly includes two rear bodies 103 a and103 b and two corresponding front bodies 102 a and 102 b. In FIG. 1,rear body 103 b is depicted as being connected to its correspondingfront body 102 b, while rear body 103 a is depicted as being separatedfrom its corresponding front body 102 a to provide a view of the ferruleassembly 106 and spring 112 that reside inside the front body/rear bodyassembly.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a rear body 103. Rear body 103 comprisesa barrel projection 120 that is hollow throughout its length andincludes a front opening 204 having a hexagonal profile designed to matewith the hexagonal shape of the ferrule holder of ferrule assembly 106(although other geometric profiles for the front opening 204 are alsowithin the scope of one or more embodiments of this disclosure). Barrelprojection 120 also includes two or more cuts 214 that extend from thefront opening 204 to a point part way down the length of the barrelprojection to facilitate expansion while the ferrule assembly 106 (seeFIG. 1) is being inserted. A step or groove 122 is formed at the base ofbarrel projection 120, and either fully or partially traverses thecircumference of the barrel projection 102. The groove 122 is configuredto receive raised ridges along the rim of the rear opening of the frontbody 102 (see FIG. 1), as will be described below.

A crimp core 124 is located on the rear side of rear body 103 and, asshown in FIG. 1, is designed to mate with a crimp sleeve 114 that,together with heat shrink tubing 110 and boot 128, connect a simplexoptical cable to the rear body 103. Although FIG. 1 depicts crimp sleeve114, heat shrink tubing 110, and boot 128 as the means for affixing anoptical cable to the rear body 103, it is to be appreciated that othermeans for attaching the cable to the rear body 103 are within the scopeof one or more embodiments of this disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an example front body 102. Front body102 mounts over barrel projection 120 of rear body 103 (see FIG. 2) bysliding the rear of the front body 102 over the front of the barrelprojection 120 such that the front of the barrel projection 120 entersthe rear opening 308 of front body 102. Cuts 304 are formed on the frontbody 102, traversing from the rear edge of the front body to a pointalong the length of the front body 102. These cuts 304 afford a degreeof expandability when installing the front body 102 over the barrelprojection 120. The example illustrated in FIG. 3 depicts only two cuts304 on opposite left and right sides of the front body 102, therebysplitting the rear opening 308 into two sections. However, someembodiments may also include only one cut, or may include third andfourth cuts 304 on the top and bottom sides of the front body 102,yielding a design having more than two sections or fewer than twosections.

The inner rim of each section of rear opening 308 comprises a raisedridge 302 designed to reside in groove 122 of the barrel projection 120of rear body 103 (see FIG. 2). Thus, when the front body 102 is fullyinstalled on the barrel projection 120, the raised ridges 302 latch intogroove 122 of the barrel projection 120, holding the front body 102 inplace on the rear body 103. As will be described in more detail below,the interaction of these raised ridges 302 with groove 122 alsofacilitates rotation of the front body 102 about the barrel projection120.

Front body 102 also includes an elastic latch 306 on its top surfacethat serves to latch the paired simplex connector within an adapter whenplugged into a patch panel or other device (not shown). When theconnector is mated with an adapter, the upward spring force of thecantilevered latch 306 causes latching surfaces 310 on the latch 306 toremain engaged with corresponding latching features on the adapter (notshown). Applying a downward pressure on the latch 306 causes thelatching surfaces 310 to disengage from the latching features of theadapter, thereby allowing the connector to be removed. Latch 306 alsoincludes two recessed areas 312 within which the t-bar 116 of long-tailpuller 104 (see FIG. 1) resides when the puller 104 is added to thepaired simplex connector assembly (as shown in FIG. 7b ).

As will be described in more detail below, the interaction of the frontbody 102 and the rear body 103 allows the front body 102 to rotate aboutthe barrel projection 120 independently of the ferrule assembly 106(that is, without causing a corresponding rotation of the ferruleassembly 106), which allows the polarity of the connector assembly to beeasily reversed in the field. Since this polarity reversal feature isimplemented in a connector design having a compact form factor, a puller104 can also be mounted to the connector without expanding the connectorassembly's size profile to a degree that interferes with adjacentconnectors in high density connector installations.

One or more embodiments of the front body 102 can include a number ofother features that improve user experience. For example, the frontedges of front body 102 can be chamfered to promote ease of insertioninto a data port. For comparison, FIG. 4a depicts a side view and afront view of a front body 404 having a substantially square profile.FIG. 4b depicts a side view and a front view of an example front body102 having a chamfered front face according to one or more embodimentsof the present disclosure. As can be seen, the four edges of the frontface are chamfered, resulting in angled surfaces 402 around the frontopening of front body 102, in contrast to the squared edges of frontbody 404. This design affords the user a greater degree of alignmenttolerance when inserting the connector into a square fiber optic adapterport, since the angled surfaces 402 allow room for error when aligningthe front of the connector with the entrance of the adapter. Thisfeature can be particularly useful when the user is attempting to plugthe connector into a fiber optic adapter located outside the user'sfield of view (e.g., an adapter located in the rear of a panel facing awall, or that is obscured by other equipment), requiring the user toalign the connector with the adapter purely by touch and with no visualguidance.

FIG. 4c depicts side, front, and perspective views of another examplefront body 406 having chamfered or rounded corners 408 on its frontface. These chamfered corners 408 serve a similar function to the angledsurfaces 402 of front body 102 using an alternative design that producesa more rounded front face.

Returning now to FIG. 1, spring 112 and ferrule assembly 106 areinserted into the barrel projection 120 of rear body 103 via frontopening 204 (see FIG. 2). The optical fiber of a simplex cable (notshown) attached to the crimp core 124 enters the rear body 103 and isattached to the rear connection point of ferrule assembly 106, therebyestablishing a communicative connection between the optical fiber of thesimplex cable and the ferrule assembly. With the ferrule assembly 106and spring 112 installed in the rear body 103, front body 102 is slidover the barrel projection 120 of rear body 103. The raised ridges 302along the rim of the front body's rear opening 308 (see FIG. 3) latchinto the groove 122 (see FIG. 2) at the base of barrel projection 120.This latching of the ridges 302 in the groove 122 serves both to holdthe front body 102 in place on the rear body 103, and to allow the frontbody to be rotated about the rear body when polarity reversal isdesired, as will be described in more detail below. When the front body102 is fully installed on the barrel projection 120, the front tip 130of the ferrule protrudes through the front opening of the front body102, while the rest of the ferrule assembly 106 and the spring 112 arehoused within the chamber formed by the barrel projection 120 and thefront body 102.

The resulting assembly—comprising a front body 102, a rear body 103,ferrule assembly 106, and spring 112, shown in assembled and explodedviews in FIG. 1—yields a simplex LC connector suitable for singleconductor connections. In order to pair two simplex cables in a commonduplexed connector assembly that can be plugged into a duplex fiberoptic adapter (e.g., for patching applications in which two simplexcables act as a send/receive pair of a fiber optic circuit), duplex clip108 (see FIGS. 1, 5) can be used to join two rear bodies 103 together ina rigid duplex arrangement, and two front bodies 102 can be mounted onthe respective two rear bodies 103. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of anexample duplex clip 108 according to one or more embodiments. Duplexclip 108 comprises an elongated plate 508, with each of the left andright sides of the plate 508 having a pair of opposing rails 502 locatedalong the top and bottom edges of the plate 508. The rails 502 begin atthe front edge of the plate 508 and extend part way along the top andbottom edges toward the rear edge of the plate 508. The two rails on agiven side of the plate 508 are spaced away from the plate and orientedsuch that the two rails face each other. That is, the rails along thetop edge face downward, while the rails along the bottom face upward.

The spacing of the rails 502 from the plate 508 is set to correspond toa thickness of two side plates 206 located on the left and right sidesof the rear body 103 (see FIG. 2). As shown in FIG. 2, grooves 208 aredefined behind the top and bottom edges of the side plates 206. Therails 502 of duplex clip 108 are designed to slide into these grooves208 of side plates 206 from the rear side of rear body 103. Wheninstalled in this manner, the side plates 206 of rear body 103 residewithin the spaces 504 defined by the top and bottom rails 502 of duplexclip 108. FIG. 6 is a rear view of two rear bodies 103 a and 103 b beingheld together by duplex clip 108. As can be seen in FIG. 6, rails 502 ofduplex clip 108 reside in the grooves 208 behind the top and bottomedges of the side plates 206 of the rear bodies 103 a and 103 b,effectively holding the two rear bodies 103 a and 103 b firmly in placeby clasping their inner surfaces.

FIG. 7a is a top view of the assembled pair of simplex LC connectors,comprising the duplex clip 108, rear bodies 103 a, 103 b held togetherby the duplex clip 108, and front bodies 102 a, 102 b mounted to thebarrel projections 120 (not visible in FIG. 7a ) of the rear bodies 103a, 103 b. The ferrule assemblies 106 and springs (not shown) residewithin the chamber formed by the front bodies 102 a, 102 b and rearbodies 103 a, 103 b, with the front tips 130 of the ferrules protrudingthrough the front openings of the front bodies 102. Duplex clip 108 isdesigned to hold the two simplex LC connectors such that the spacingbetween the two simplex LC connectors conforms to a standard duplexspacing, allowing the paired simplex LC connector assemblies to beplugged into a duplex adapter (not shown). The lengths of the duplexclip's rails 502 (see FIG. 5) and the corresponding area of the sideplates 206 of rear bodies 103 a, 103 b (see FIG. 2)—which are held bythe rails 502—are sufficient to rigidly hold the two simplex LCconnector assemblies substantially in parallel. The relatively largearea of contact between the duplex clip 108 and the side plates 206 ofrear bodies 103 a, 103 b prevents the two simplex LC connectorassemblies, including terminated simplex cables 702 a and 702 b,respectively, from bending toward or away from each other to anexcessive degree, thereby reliably maintaining this parallelarrangement. By providing a sturdy and consistent parallel orientationof the paired simplex LC connectors, this design improves userexperience by ensuring that the paired simplex LC connector assemblyreliably aligns with a mating duplex adapter (not shown) and maintainsthe parallel configuration between the duplexed fiber optic signal pathsrequired for minimal disturbance of light signals transmitted along theoptical circuits of which the duplexed LC connectors are components.

A puller 104 can be added to the paired simplex LC connector assembly toimprove physical access to the paired simplex LC connector assemblies tofacilitate insertion into, and removal from, the corresponding duplexadapter in high density connectivity environments. FIG. 7b is anothertop view of the paired simplex LC connector assembly that adds a puller104. Puller 104 includes a t-bar 116 connected to a cable anchor 126 byan arm 704. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the puller 104 used for thepaired simplex LC connector assembly according to one or moreembodiments. Cable anchor 126 comprises two concave surfaces 107 a and107 b adapted to accommodate the two parallel simplex cables 702 a and702 b that enter each of the paired simplex LC connectors, respectively,as can be seen, for instance, in FIGS. 9a and 9b . FIG. 9a isperspective rear view of the paired simplex connector assembly with thepuller 104 omitted. As described above, duplex clip 108 holds two rearbodies 103 a, 103 b in a parallel orientation, and two front bodies 102a, 102 b are attached to the barrel projections 120 (see FIG. 2) of rearbodies 103, enclosing the ferrule assemblies 106 and springs 112 (seeFIG. 1) within the resulting assemblies. As shown in FIGS. 7a, 7b, 9a,and 9b , two simplex optical cables 702 a and 702 b are attached tocrimp cores 124 a, 124 b (see FIG. 1) on the rear sides of the rearbodies 103 a and 103 b using crimp sleeves 114, and boots 128 are slidover the crimp sleeves 114 (see FIG. 1). The optical fibers of therespective optical cables 702 a, 702 b enter the rear bodies 103 a, 103b via crimp cores 124 a, 124 b and attach to the ferrule assemblieswithin the front bodies 102 a, 102 b and rear bodies 103 a, 103 b (see,e.g., FIG. 1).

FIG. 9b is a perspective rear view of the paired simplex LC connectorassembly with puller 104 attached. The cable anchor 126 of the pullerresides between the two simplex fiber optic cables 702 a, 702 b (e.g.,between the two boots 128 a, 128 b), with the concave surfaces 107 a,107 b of the cable anchor 126 accommodating the two simplex fiber opticcables.

Returning now to FIG. 8, protrusions 118 a, 118 b, 804 below thepuller's t-bar 116 are designed to interlock with corresponding groovesformed by puller rails 510 on the top of duplex clip 108 (see FIG. 5).FIG. 10 is a front view of the paired simplex LC connector assemblyincluding puller 104, with the front bodies 102 a, 102 b removed forclarity. As can be seen in FIG. 10, puller 104 includes threeprotrusions 118 a, 118 b, 804 below t-bar 116 that reside withincorresponding grooves 514 a, 514 b, 512 formed by the two puller rails510 of the duplex clip 108 (see also FIG. 5). In this illustratedembodiment, the grooves 514 a, 514 b, 512 defined by the two pullerrails 510 include a square groove 512 between the two rails 510 (seeFIG. 5), a first notched groove 514 b on the left side of the left-handpuller rail 510, and a second notched groove 514 a on the right side ofthe right-hand puller rail 510 (see FIG. 5). To affix the puller 104 onthe duplex clip 108, the left and right notched grooves 514 a, 514 b onthe clip 108 are configured to receive corresponding V-shaped rails onthe left and right protrusions 118 a, 118 b of the puller 104. Thisdesign allows the puller 104 to be mounted on the duplex clip 108 byaligning the rails of the left and right protrusions 118 a, 118 b withthe corresponding notched grooves 514 a, 514 b of the clip 108, andsliding the t-bar 116 of the puller 104 over the duplex clip 108, eitherfrom the front or rear of the duplex clip 108. In the embodimentillustrated in FIG. 10, puller 104 also includes a middle protrusion 804that resides in the square groove 512 between the two puller rails 510of the clip 108. This middle protrusion 804 presents a stop for thepuller 104 operating within the square groove 512 between the two pullerrails 510 of duplex clip 108. This middle protrusion stop prevents thepuller 104 from separating from the LC connector assembly when pulledrearward, and also prevents the t-bar 116 of puller 104 from slippingrearward, and out of engagement with, recessed areas 312 disposed inlatches 306 of front bodies 102 a, 102 b (see FIGS. 3 and 7 b).

Note that similar puller rails 510 are also located on the bottom ofduplex clip 108, yielding a symmetrical profile. Mirroring the pullerrails 510 on both the top and bottom of the clip 108 in this mannerfacilitates the polarity reversal technique to be described in moredetail below in connection with FIGS. 13a -13 f.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the paired simplex LC connectorassembly including the puller 104. With the puller 104 in place, thet-bar 116 provides an easily accessible means for removing the pairedsimplex LC connector assembly from a duplex adapter (not shown). Notethat the left and right sides oft-bar 116 reside within the recessedareas 312 formed in latches 306 of the front bodies 102 a, 102 b (seeFIGS. 3 and 7 a), ensuring that a pulling force applied both sides oft-bar 116 is distributed substantially equally to the two simplex LCconnectors of the paired LC connector assembly.

FIG. 12 is a side view of the paired simplex LC connector assemblyincluding the puller 104. Note that the puller 104 is designed such thatthe addition of the puller 104 to the paired LC connector assembly doesnot introduce additional height to the paired LC connector assembly'svertical profile. That is, the top surface of the puller 104 does notextend upward past the top surface of the latches 306 of front bodies102 a, 102 b. This ensures that the puller 104 will not interfere withadjacent connectors or cables in high density connectivityinstallations.

The design of the paired simplex connector described above allows thepolarity of the fiber optic circuitry of the connectors and cabling tobe reversed easily in the field with little or no risk of twisting ortangling the optical fibers comprising the circuit, even when a puller(e.g., puller 104) is included as part of the connector assembly. FIGS.13a-13f are orthographic views of the paired simplex LC connectorassembly illustrating a sequence for reversing the polarity of the fiberoptic circuitry.

FIG. 13a is a perspective rear view of the paired simplex LC connectorassembly, which is used to connect two simplex fiber optic cables 702 aand 702 b to a duplex adapter. In the current default polarity, cable702 a is connected to the left side of the paired simplex LC connectorassembly while cable 702 b is connected to the right side. Thus, whenthe paired simplex LC connector assembly is plugged into a duplexadapter (not shown in the figures), cable 702 a will be plugged into theleft port of the duplex adapter while cable 702 b will be plugged intothe right port of the duplex adapter.

To reverse the polarity of the paired simplex LC connectors, andcorresponding cables 702 a, 702 b, comprising the assembly, thefollowing steps can be carried out. As shown in FIG. 13b , the frontbodies 102 a, 102 b are rotated 180 degrees about the barrel projections120 of rear bodies 103 a, 103 b. Since the front bodies 102 a, 102 b aremounted in a rotatable manner on the barrel projections 120, and theferrule assemblies 106 are installed inside the barrel projections 120in a fixed manner, the front bodies 102 a, 102 b can be rotated withoutcausing a corresponding rotation of the ferrule assemblies 106, therebypreventing twisting of the ferrule assemblies 106 and the optical fibersdisposed therein. At the completion of this step in the polarityreversal process, the paired simplex LC connectors of the assemblies arein an upside-down orientation relative to their starting orientations.

Next, as shown in FIG. 13c , the puller 104 is removed from the pairedsimplex LC connector assembly. In the case of the paired simplexassembly with duplex clip 108, this can be achieved by sliding thepuller 104 forward, away from cables 702 a, 702 b, so that the t-bar 116of puller 104 can be disengaged from the recessed areas 312 in thelatches 306 of front bodies 102 a, 102 b, and thereby disconnecting theprotrusions 118 a, 118 b, 804 of puller 104 from the puller rails 510 ontop of the duplex clip 108. The puller 104 can then be pulled backwardtoward the cables 702 a, 702 b to facilitate removal of the puller 104from the paired simplex LC connector assembly. The cable anchor 126 ofpuller 104 is held between the two cables 702 a, 702 b, minimizing therisk of the puller 104 falling from the paired simplex LC connectorassembly during this step of the polarity reversal process. The puller104 is then moved to the opposite side of the paired simplex LCconnector assembly, as shown in FIG. 13d . At this stage, the puller 104is not yet reattached to the duplex clip 108. The entire paired simplexLC connector assembly is then rotated, as shown in FIG. 13e . Note thatthis rotation causes cables 702 a and 702 b to be reversed in positionrelative to the duplex clip 108, while also causing the paired simplexLC connector assembly to be reoriented in the right-side-up position.Finally, the puller 104 is reattached to the duplex clip 108 by aligningthe protrusions 118 a, 118 b, 804 of puller 104 with the puller rails510 on the duplex clip 108 and sliding the puller 104 backward, causingthe front of the puller 104 to engage with the clip 108. Note that thepuller rails 510 on the duplex clip 108 to which the puller 104 isattached during this step are those that were located on the bottom ofthe clip in FIG. 13a , but which are now in the top position due to therotation during polarity reversal shown in FIG. 13e . Since the samepuller rails 510 are located on both the top and bottom of the duplexclip 108, the polarity reversal can be achieved without disconnectingthe clip 108 from the rear bodies 103.

As shown in FIG. 13f , cables 702 a and 702 b have reversed positionrelative to the position of cables 702 a and 702 b shown in FIG. 13a ,such that cable 702 b will be plugged into the left port of a duplexadapter, and cable 702 a will be plugged into the right port. Reversalof the polarity of the cabling and is now complete.

The procedure outlined above in connection with FIGS. 13a-13f allows auser to quickly and easily reverse the polarity of the duplexedconnector in the field without twisting or damaging the optical fibersconnected to the ferrules inside the connector housings, and withoutrequiring the user to disassemble the connector housing in order toaccess the ferrule assemblies housed therein. The design of the pairedsimplex connectors described herein allow this polarity reversal featureto be implemented even when a puller is included as part of theconnector assembly, since the puller can be easily relocated to theappropriate side of the connector as needed.

In some embodiments, the clip and rear bodies can be designed to allowthe rear bodies 1502 (see FIGS. 15a-15c ) to be mounted to the clipusing a rotational action instead of a sliding action. FIGS. 14a, 14b,14c, and 14d are a front view, side view, bottom view, and perspectiveview, respectively, of an example clip 1402 that supports rotationalmounting of simplex connectors to yield a paired simplex LC connectorassembly. In contrast to duplex clip 108 (see FIG. 5), which uses rails502 to hold the rear bodies 103 in place by engaging with the rearbodies' side plates 206, clip 1402 comprises two side arms 1410 a, 1410b formed on respective two sides of elongated plate 1412. Each side arm1410 a, 1410 b comprise a hub 1408 a, 1408 b that extends from the plate1412 and a flange 1406 a, 1406 b formed on the end of the hub 1408 a,1408 b. In some embodiments, the flange 1406 a, 1406 b can have anon-circular, rotationally symmetrical shape having a lengthwise axis1418 (that is, an axis that runs along a length of the flange 1406) thatruns at an angle (diagonally) relative to the lengthwise axis 1416 ofthe clip 1402 (see FIG. 14b ). Each flange 1406 is shaped such thatcorners 1420 a and 1420 b are formed on its front and rear edges,respectively, at rotationally symmetric locations on the flange 1406.

Grooves 1404 a and 1404 b are formed on the front top edge and frontbottom edge respectively, of plate 1412. These grooves 1404 a, 1404 bare configured to receive a protrusion formed on the puller, as will bedescribed below.

FIG. 15a is a perspective view of an example rear body 1502 designed toengage with clip 1402. FIG. 15b is a side view of rear body 1502, andFIG. 15c is a top view of rear body 1502. Rear body 1502 comprises ahollow barrel projection 1504 (which may be similar to barrel projection120) and a crimp core 1506 (which may be similar to crimp core 124).Barrel projection 1504 comprises a front opening 1512 and one or moreslots 1514 to allow a degree of flexibility when installing a ferruleassembly 106 (see FIG. 1). A fiber optical cable (not shown but may besimilar to simplex fiber optic cables 702 a, 702 b shown in, e.g., FIG.7a ) can enter the hollow crimp core 1506 and connect to the ferruleassembly 106 (see FIG. 1) inside the rear body 1502. Similar to rearbody 103, rear body 1502 is configured to receive front body 102 (seeFIG. 1) over its barrel projection 1504. Accordingly, a step or groove1516 is formed at the base of barrel projection 1504, and either fullyor partially traverses the circumference of the barrel projection 1504.The groove 1516 is configured to receive the raised ridges 302 along therim of the rear opening 308 of the front body 102 (see FIG. 3).

In contrast to rear body 103 (see FIG. 2), the section between thebarrel projection 1504 and crimp core 1506 of rear body 1502 comprises ablock 1510 having channels 1508 a and 1508 b formed on its left andright sides, respectively. As can best be seen in FIG. 15c , theopposing walls 1524 b of channel 1508 b each have a detent 1520 b formedthereon. Channel 1508 a on the opposite side of block 1510 has similardetents 1520 a formed on its opposing walls 1524 a. The pair of opposingdetents 1520 a, 1520 b in a given channel 1508 a, 1508 b are offsetvertically from one another, yielding channels 1508 a, 1508 b havingshapes that are designed to engage with the side arms 1410 a, 1410 b ofclip 1402 (see, e.g., FIG. 14a ) using a rotational action, as will bedescribed in more detail below. Since each detent 1520 is located alongits respective channel wall 1524 at a point offset from the middle ofthe channel wall, each detent 1520 divides its channel wall 1524 into along section and a short section. As can be seen in FIGS. 15a and 15c ,the long section of each channel wall 1524 comprises an overhangingridge 1522 configured to engage with an edge of the flange 1406 when therear body 1502 is engaged with the clip 1402, as will be describedbelow. In the example depicted in FIG. 15a , one ridge (e.g., ridge 1522ba of channel 1508 b or ridge 1522 aa of channel 1508 a) is located onthe upper portion of its channel wall 1524, and the opposing ridge(e.g., ridge 1522 bb of channel 1508 b) is located at the lower portionof its channel wall 1524.

The width of the flange 1406 (that is, the width of the flange 1406 inthe direction perpendicular to the lengthwise axis 1418 of flange 1406as shown, e.g., in FIG. 14b ) is less than the width of channel 1508,allowing the flange 1406 to reside within the channel 1508 when thelength of the channel 1508 is aligned with the length of the flange1406. When the rear body 1502 is oriented at a first angle relative tothe clip 1402, the lengths of the channel 1508 and the flange 1406 arealigned, and the channel 1508 can fit over the flange 1406 such that theflange 1406 resides within the channel. While in this position, the rearbody 1502 can be rotated about the flange 1406 to a second angle,causing the rear body 1502 to engage with the flange 1406, therebyaffixing the rear body 1502 to the clip. This procedure will bedescribed in more detail below.

FIG. 16a is a side view of an example puller 1602 that can be used withthe embodiment described above in connection with FIGS. 14a-15c . FIG.16b is a bottom view of puller 1602, and FIG. 16c is a perspective viewof puller 1602. Similar to puller 104 depicted in FIG. 8, puller 1602comprises an arm 1610 with a t-bar 1604 formed on one end. A tailformation 1612 is formed on the opposite end of arm 1610 and serves as apurchase for a user's fingers when the connector assembly is beingdisconnected from a duplex port. A tongue 1608 is formed on the bottomof arm 1610 and is configured to abut against the rear edge 1414 of clip1402 (see, e.g., FIG. 14a ) while the paired simplex LC connector isbeing assembled. A protrusion 1606 is formed below the t-bar 1604 and isconfigured to reside in one of the two grooves 1404 a or 1404 b of clip1402 (see, e.g., FIG. 14a ) when the LC connector is assembled.

FIGS. 17a-17i illustrate a sequence for assembling two simplexconnectors—comprising rear bodies 1502 a and 1502 b fitted withrespective front bodies 102 a and 102 b—clip 1402, and puller 1602 toyield a paired simplex connector. FIG. 17a depicts one simplexconnector—comprising rear body 1502 b and front body 102 b—alreadyattached to clip 1402, and the other simplex connector—comprising rearbody 1502 a and front body 102 a—in the process of being attached toclip 1402. To attach the simplex connector to clip 1402, the assembledsimplex connector is tilted downward at a first angle relative to theclip's horizontal lengthwise axis (see axis 1416 in FIG. 14b ) andpositioned over the clip's side arm 1410 b such that one of the twochannels 1508 a or 1508 b is aligned with the side arm 1410 b, as shownin FIG. 17a . FIG. 18 is another perspective view depicting thisalignment from a different angle. In this position, the length of thechannel 1508 facing the side arm 1410 b is oriented to align with thelength of the flange 1406 b. The connector is then brought into contactwith side arm 1410 b such that the flange 1406 b resides within thechannel 1508 (either channel 1508 a or 1508 b), as shown in FIG. 17band, from another angle, FIG. 18b . The flange 1406 b and channel 1508are shaped such that the flange 1406 will fit within the channel 1508when the flange's lengthwise axis (see axis 1418 in FIG. 14b ) issubstantially aligned with the path of channel 1508.

As shown in FIG. 17c and FIG. 18c (from respective different perspectiveangles), with the connector in place such that the flange 1406 b resideswithin the channel 1508 of the rear body 1502 a, rear body 1502 a isrotated upward (clockwise) about the side arm 1410 b to a second anglerelative to the clip 1402, which brings the front body 102 a and rearbody 1502 a substantially into alignment with the lengthwise axis of theclip 1402 (substantially horizontally in the orientation depicted inFIG. 17c ). During this rotational travel, corners 1420 a and 1420 b onthe flange 1406 b will come into contact with the detents 1520 a and1520 b on the channels walls of rear body 1502 a before rotation to thehorizontal is complete. Applying additional rotational pressure causesthe detents 1520 a and 1520 b to overcome the resistance applied by thecorners 1420 of flanges 1406 b, snapping the simplex connector in placein the horizontal position with the corners 1420 behind the detents1520. This movement also causes the two sides of flange 1406 b to slideunder the opposing overhanging ridges 1522 (e.g., 1522 ba and 1522 bb)of the channel 1508 formed on the rear body 1502 a. This engagementbetween the side arm 1410 b of clip 1402 and the channel 1508 of rearbody 1502 a locks the rear body 1502 a (and its associated front body102 a) in place on the clip 1402. FIG. 19 is a cross-section viewdepicting this engagement of clip 1402 and rear body 1502.

The puller 1602 can then be attached to the assembly by first insertingprotrusion 1606 into groove 1404 of clip 1402 (either groove 1404 a or1404 b) as shown in FIG. 17d , pressing down on the rear of the pulleruntil the arm 1610 rests flat on the clip as shown in FIG. 17e , andsliding the puller 1602 forward until the puller's tongue 1608 abutsagainst the rear edge 1414 of clip 1402 as shown in FIG. 17 f.

When both simplex connectors are attached to clip 1402, the two frontbodies 102 a and 102 b are rotated about their corresponding barrelprojections 1504 so that the latches 306 face upward, as shown in FIGS.17g and 17h , respectively. While the front bodies 102 a and 102 b arein these positions, the t-bar 1604 of the puller 1602 rests inside thetwo recessed areas 312 of the latches 306 a and 306 b of front bodies102. Finally, as shown in FIG. 17i , the puller 1602 is slid backwardaway from the resulting connector assembly to lock the t-bar 1604 in therecessed areas 312 of latches 306 a and 306 b.

FIG. 20 is a perspective view of the resulting paired simplex connectorassembly, and FIG. 21 is a top view of the paired simplex connectorassembly. Since the front bodies 102 a, 102 b interact with rear bodies1502 a, 1502 b in the same manner as rear bodies 103, the polarity ofthe paired simplex connector assembly depicted in FIGS. 20 and 21 can bereversed using a sequence similar to that illustrated in FIGS. 13a-13f .However, it is to be appreciated that clip 1402 can be used to pair twosimplex LC connectors having other structures that may not necessarilysupport the polarity reversal sequence of FIGS. 13a-13f . For example,simplex LC connectors having single-piece bodies that do not include arotatable front body 102 can also be connected using clip 1402 to yielda paired simplex LC connector. In such embodiments, the single-piecesimplex bodies may include one or more channels similar to channel 1508capable of engaging with the flanges 1406 of side arms 1410.

As can be seen in FIGS. 20 and 21 clip 1402, which provides the bridgedconnection for the two simplex connectors, is compact and nearlyinvisible when the paired simplex connector is assembled, since the clip1402 resides exclusively between the two simplex connectors. This is incontrast to conventional wrap-around mechanisms that are typically usedto join two simplex connectors to form a duplex arrangement. This alsoyields a relatively low vertical profile that renders the resultingconnector assembly suitable for use within high density connectivityinstallations. FIG. 22 is a side view of an example high densityconnectivity installation comprising a number of stacked adapters 2202,each adapter comprising a row of duplexed data ports into which pairedsimplex connectors can be inserted. As illustrated by the dashed boxes,the vertical profile of the connector design described herein is lowenough to remain within the profile dimensions of the adapters 2202.Their low vertical profile allows the connectors to be installed in highdensity connectivity applications without interference between adjacentconnectors.

The paired simplex connectors described herein incorporate a number ofdesign features that address a number of functional and perceptualissues that arise in fiber optic patching applications. For example, therelatively small number of parts required for the connector assembliesdescribed herein can reduce manufacturing costs while providing a morerigid structure relative to connectors that incorporate a greater numberof components. By enclosing the ferrule assemblies within grooved barrelstructures over which the front bodies 102 can be mounted, such that thefront bodies 102 can be rotated about the barrel projection withoutrotating the ferrule assemblies 106, the connectors described hereinallow users to quickly and easily reverse the polarity of the connectorsand cabling in the field (e.g., from crossed to straight-through, orvice versa) without twisting or entangling the optical fibers housedwithin the connectors, and without opening the connector housing. Thispolarity reversal feature is implemented in a connector design that alsoallows for installation of a puller (e.g., puller 104 or 1602) thatfacilitates easy access to the connector in congested connectivityenvironments for ease of connector insertion and removal fromcorresponding duplex adapters. The chamfered front edges of the frontbodies 102 of the connectors can improve the ease with which theconnectors are inserted into a fiber adapter, particularly in lowvisibility, or close, areas where precise manual alignment between theconnector and a corresponding adapter is not easily achieved.

FIGS. 23-24 c illustrate various methodologies in accordance with one ormore embodiments of the subject application. While, for purposes ofsimplicity of explanation, the one or more methodologies shown hereinare described as a series of steps, it is to be understood andappreciated that the subject innovation is not limited by the order ofsteps, as some steps may, in accordance therewith, occur in a differentorder and/or concurrently with other steps from that shown and describedherein. For example, those skilled in the art will understand andappreciate that a methodology could alternatively be represented as aseries of interrelated states or events, such as in a state diagram.Moreover, not all illustrated steps may be required to implement amethodology in accordance with the innovation. Furthermore, interactiondiagram(s) may represent methodologies, or methods, in accordance withthe subject disclosure when disparate entities enact disparate portionsof the methodologies. Further yet, two or more of the disclosed examplemethods can be implemented in combination with each other, to accomplishone or more features or advantages described herein.

FIG. 23 illustrates an example methodology 2300 for assembling a pairedsimplex fiber optic connector according to one or more embodimentsdescribed herein. Initially, at 2302, a first simplex connector isaligned with a connection mechanism such that a channel formed on a sideof the first simplex connector aligns with a first non-circular flangemounted on a first side of the connection mechanism. The first flangecomprises first and second corners on its front and rear edges,respectively, and in some embodiments may be rotationally symmetrical.In some embodiments, the simplex connector can comprise an assembly of afront body and a rear body having the designs described and illustratedherein (e.g., in connection with FIGS. 3 and 15 a-15 c). Alternatively,the simplex connector may be another type of simplex connector having achannel capable of receiving and engaging with the flange. Aligning thechannel and the flange may involve orienting the simplex connector at adownward angle relative to a lengthwise axis of the connectionmechanism, which aligns the length of the channel with the length of theflange. At 2304, the first simplex connector is positioned over thefirst flange such that the first flange resides within the channel. At2306, the first simplex connector is rotated upward about the firstflange, causing detents formed on the walls of the channel to snap pastthe corners of the first flange, thereby connecting the first simplexconnector to the connection mechanism.

At step 2308, a second simplex connector is aligned with the connectionmechanism such that a channel formed on a side of the second simplexconnector aligns with a second non-circular flange mounted on a secondside of the connection mechanism (similar to step 2302 for the firstsimplex connector). The second flange has a shape similar to the firstflange. At 2310, the second simplex connector is positioned over thesecond flange such that the second flange resides within the channel(similar to step 2304 for the first simplex connector). At 2312, thesecond simplex connector is rotated about the second flange causingdetents formed on the walls of the channel to snap past the corners ofthe second flange (similar to step 2306 for the first flange). At thecompletion of step 2312, the two simplex connectors are heldsubstantially parallel to one another by the connection mechanism,forming a paired simplex connector assembly that can be plugged into aduplex adapter or port (e.g., a fiber optic port). In some embodiments,a puller can be attached to the assembly to render the connector moreeasily accessible within congested installations.

FIG. 24a is a first part 2400 a of an example methodology for assemblinga paired simplex fiber optic connector having features that facilitatepolarity reversal without the need to open the connector housings.Initially, at step 2402, a first spring and a first ferrule assembly areinstalled in a hollow barrel projection formed on a front side of afirst rear body, the barrel projection comprising a groove thattraverses all or part of a circumference of the barrel projection. At2404, a first front body is installed over the barrel projection,causing the front tip of the first ferrule assembly to protrude througha front opening of the first front body. The first front body comprisesat least one ridge along an inner edge or rim of a rear opening, and theat least one ridge resides in the groove of the barrel projection whilethe first front body is installed over the barrel projection, such thatthe first front body is rotatable about the barrel projectionindependently of the first ferrule assembly.

At 2406, the first ferrule assembly is connected to a first opticalfiber inside the first rear body, the first optical fiber entering thefirst rear body via an opening on the rear side of the first rear body.At 2408, a first crimp sleeve is installed on a first crimp core locatedon the rear side of the first rear body. At 2410, a second spring, asecond ferrule assembly, a second front body, and a second crimp sleeveare installed on a second rear body, and a second optical fiber isconnected to the second ferrule assembly inside the second rear body.

The methodology continues with the second part 2400 b illustrated inFIG. 24b . At 2412, the first rear body (with first front body attached)is aligned with a connection mechanism such that a channel formed on aside of the first rear body aligns with a first non-circular flangemounted on a first side of the connection mechanism (similar to step2302 of methodology 2300). At 2414, the first rear body is positionedover the first flange such that the first flange resides within thechannel (similar to step 2304 of methodology 2300). At 2416, the firstrear body is rotated upward about the first flange, causing detentsformed on the walls of the channel to snap past the corners of the firstflange (similar to step 2306 of methodology 2300).

At 2418, the second rear body is aligned with the connection mechanismsuch that a channel formed on a side of the second rear body aligns witha second non-circular, rotationally symmetric flange mounted on a secondside of the connection mechanism (similar to step 2410 for the firstsimplex connector). At 2420, the second rear body is positioned over thesecond flange such that the second flange resides within the channel(similar to step 2412 for the first simplex connector). At 2422, thesecond rear body is rotated about the second flange causing detentsformed on the walls of the channel to snap past the corners of thesecond flange (similar to step 2414 for the first flange). At thecompletion of step 2422, the two simplex connectors are heldsubstantially parallel to one another by the connection mechanism,forming a paired simplex connector assembly that can be plugged into aduplex port (e.g., a fiber optic port).

The methodology continues with the third part 2400 c illustrated in FIG.24c . At 2424, first and second boots are slid forward to rear walls ofthe first and second rear bodies, respectively. At 2426, a puller isinstalled on the assembly that results from implementing steps2402-2424, the puller having at least one protrusion that resides in acorresponding groove of the connection mechanism.

The above description of illustrated embodiments of the subjectdisclosure, including what is described in the Abstract, is not intendedto be exhaustive or to limit the disclosed embodiments to the preciseforms disclosed. While specific embodiments and examples are describedherein for illustrative purposes, various modifications are possiblethat are considered within the scope of such embodiments and examples,as those skilled in the relevant art can recognize.

In this regard, while the disclosed subject matter has been described inconnection with various embodiments and corresponding figures, whereapplicable, it is to be understood that other similar embodiments can beused or modifications and additions can be made to the describedembodiments for performing the same, similar, alternative, or substitutefunction of the disclosed subject matter without deviating therefrom.Therefore, the disclosed subject matter should not be limited to anysingle embodiment described herein, but rather should be construed inbreadth and scope in accordance with the appended claims below.

In addition, the term “or” is intended to mean an inclusive “or” ratherthan an exclusive “or.” That is, unless specified otherwise, or clearfrom context, “X employs A or B” is intended to mean any of the naturalinclusive permutations. That is, if X employs A; X employs B; or Xemploys both A and B, then “X employs A or B” is satisfied under any ofthe foregoing instances. Moreover, articles “a” and “an” as used in thesubject specification and annexed drawings should generally be construedto mean “one or more” unless specified otherwise or clear from contextto be directed to a singular form.

What has been described above includes examples of systems and methodsillustrative of the disclosed subject matter. It is, of course, notpossible to describe every combination of components or methodologieshere. One of ordinary skill in the art may recognize that many furthercombinations and permutations of the claimed subject matter arepossible. Furthermore, to the extent that the terms “includes,” “has,”“possesses,” and the like are used in the detailed description, claims,appendices and drawings such terms are intended to be inclusive in amanner similar to the term “comprising” as “comprising” is interpretedwhen employed as a transitional word in a claim.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for assembling a paired simplexconnector, comprising: fitting a first simplex connector over a firstside arm formed on a first side of a clip, wherein the fitting the firstsimplex connector comprises orienting the first simplex connector at afirst angle that allows a first flange formed on the first side arm tofit inside a first channel formed on the first simplex connector;rotating the first simplex connector about the first flange to a secondangle, wherein the rotating the first simplex connector causes the firstchannel to engage with the first flange; fitting a second simplexconnector over a second side arm formed on a second side of the clip,wherein the fitting the second simplex connector comprises orienting thesecond simplex connector at the first angle that allows a second flangeformed on the second side arm to fit inside a second channel formed onthe second simplex connector; and rotating the second simplex connectorabout the second flange to the second angle, wherein the rotating thesecond simplex connector causes the second channel to engage with thesecond flange, wherein, while the first simplex connector is engagedwith the first side arm and the second simplex connector is engaged withthe second side arm, the first simplex connector is held substantiallyparallel to the second simplex connector.
 2. The method of claim 1,wherein the rotating the first simplex connector causes a first detenton a first wall of the first channel and a second detent on a secondwall of the first channel to engage with respective first corners formedon the first flange, and the rotating the second simplex connectorcauses a third detent on a third wall of the second channel and a fourthdetent on a fourth wall of the second channel to engage with respectivesecond corners formed on the second flange.
 3. The method of claim 1,further comprising attaching a puller to the clip, wherein the pullercomprises a t-bar formed on an end of an arm and a protrusion formedbelow the t-bar, and the attaching comprises inserting the protrusioninto a groove formed on an edge of the clip.
 4. The method of claim 3,wherein the first simplex connector comprises a first latch having afirst recessed area and the second simplex connector comprises a secondlatch having a second recessed area, and the attaching the pullercomprises inserting the t-bar into the first recessed area and thesecond recessed area.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the rotating thefirst simplex connector causes an edge of the first flange to engagewith a first overhanging ridge formed along a first wall of the firstchannel, and the rotating the second simplex connector causes an edge ofthe second flange to engage with a second overhanging ridge formed alonga second wall of the second channel.
 6. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising assembling the first simplex connector, wherein theassembling comprises: inserting a spring and a ferrule assembly into ahollow barrel projection of a connector rear body; and fitting aconnector front body over the barrel projection of the connector rearbody.
 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the barrel projection comprisesa groove at or near a base of the barrel projection, and at least aportion of a rim of a rear opening of the connector front body comprisesa ridge, and the fitting comprises fitting the connector front body overthe barrel projection resulting in the ridge residing in the groove ofthe barrel projection.
 8. A paired simplex connector, comprising: afirst simplex connector; and a second simplex connector, wherein thefirst simplex connector and the second simplex connector are held in aduplex formation by a clip, a first flange formed on a first side of theclip is configured to fit into a first channel formed on a side of thefirst simplex connector, and the first simplex connector attaches to thefirst flange in response to a rotation of the first simplex connectorabout the first flange, and a second flange formed on a second side ofthe clip is configured to fit into a second channel formed on a side ofthe second simplex connector, and the second simplex connector attachesto the second flange in response to a rotation of the second simplexconnector about the second flange.
 9. The paired simplex connector ofclaim 8, wherein a first corner is formed on a front edge of the firstflange, and a second corner is formed on a rear edge of the firstflange, a first detent is formed on a first wall of the first channel,and a second detent is formed on a second wall of the first channel, andthe first detent and the second detent are configured to engage with thefirst corner and the second corner, respectively, in response to therotation of the first simplex connector about the first flange.
 10. Thepaired simplex connector of claim 9, wherein at least one of the firstflange or the second flange is non-circular and rotationallysymmetrical, and has a first lengthwise axis that is angled relative toa second lengthwise axis of the clip.
 11. The paired simplex connectorof claim 8, wherein at least one of the first simplex connector or thesecond simplex connector comprises: a rear body comprising a barrelprojection on a front side of the rear body, wherein the barrelprojection is hollow and is configured to receive a spring and a ferruleassembly via a front end of the barrel projection, and wherein thebarrel projection comprises a groove at or near a base of the barrelprojection; and a front body configured to fit over the barrelprojection while the spring and the ferrule assembly are in the barrelprojection, the front body comprising a rear opening that receives thebarrel projection, wherein at least a portion of a rim of the rearopening comprises a ridge that resides in the groove of the barrelprojection while the front body is attached to the barrel projection.12. The paired simplex connector of claim 11, wherein the front body isconfigured to rotate about the barrel projection independently of theferrule assembly while the front body is attached to the barrelprojection.
 13. The paired simplex connector of claim 8, wherein thefirst flange is formed on a first end of a first side arm formed on thefirst side of the clip, and the second flange is formed on a second endof a second side arm formed on the second side of the clip.
 14. Thepaired simplex connector of claim 8, further comprising a pullercomprising a t-bar formed on an end of an arm and a protrusion formedbelow the t-bar, wherein the protrusion is configured to reside in agroove formed on the clip.
 15. The paired simplex connector of claim 14,wherein the first simplex connector comprises a first latch and thesecond simplex connector comprise a second latch, and the t-bar isconfigured to reside in a first recessed area and a second recessed areaformed on the first latch and the second latch, respectively.
 16. Thepaired simplex connector of claim 8, wherein the clip is symmetricalabout a lengthwise axis.
 17. The paired simplex connector of claim 8,wherein a first overhanging ridge is formed along a first wall of thefirst channel and is configured to engage with a first edge of the firstflange, and a second overhanging ridge is formed along a second wall ofthe second channel and is configured to engage with a second edge of thesecond flange.
 18. A system, comprising: a first simplex connector thatfits over a first flange on a first side of a clip while at a firstangle relative to the clip, and that attaches to the first flange inresponse to being rotated about the first flange to a second angle whilefitted over the first flange; a second simplex connector that fits overa second flange on a second side of the clip while at the first anglerelative to the clip, and that attaches to the second flange in responseto being rotated about the second flange to the second angle whilefitted over the second flange, wherein the clip holds the first simplexconnector and the second simplex connector parallel or substantiallyparallel to one another while the first simplex connector and the secondsimplex connector are attached to the first flange and the secondflange, respectively.
 19. The system of claim 18, wherein the firstflange fits inside a first channel formed on the first simplex connectorwhile the first simplex connector fits over the first flange, the secondflange fits inside a second channel formed on the second simplexconnector while the second simplex connector fits over the secondflange, rotation of the first simplex connector about the first flangefrom the first angle to the second angle causes a first detent on afirst wall of the first channel and a second detent on a second wall ofthe first channel to engage with respective first corners formed on thefirst flange, and rotation of the second simplex connector about thesecond flange from the first angle to the second angle causes a thirddetent on a third wall of the second channel and a fourth detent on afourth wall of the second channel to engage with respective secondcorners formed on the second flange.
 20. The system of claim 18, furthercomprising a puller that attaches to the clip, wherein the pullercomprises a t-bar formed on an end of an arm and a protrusion formedbelow the t-bar that inserts into a groove formed on the clip.